COVID-19 Update: We are currently accepting applications. In-person consultations will take place over the summer and planting will occur in fall.
We encourage you to submit your application now so that you are in the queue. But please be aware that it will take us longer than normal to respond, as demand is high at this time.
Available to multi-unit and business property owners in Toronto, York Region and some municipalities within Durham Region.
York Region Emerald Ash Borer Rebate
Is your ash tree dead or dying from Emerald Ash Borer? For a limited time, York Region property owners will receive an additional $100 rebate when replacing an ash tree, only through our Full-Service Backyard Tree Planting Program. This means if you live in Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Newmarket, East Gwillimbury, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Aurora, King or Georgina, you may be eligible for this rebate. Limit of five rebates per property. First come, first served. If the ash tree has already been removed, a copy of the tree removal invoice will be required to qualify for the rebate. If you do not have the invoice, please contact us for other acceptable forms of proof.
Newmarket Stormwater Management Rebate
For a limited time, Newmarket residential multi-unit property owners will receive an additional $100 rebate for planting a tree on their property through the Full-Service program. You can combine the Stormwater Management Rebate with the Emerald Ash Borer Rebate for one tree if your property is in Newmarket. Limit of one storm water management rebate per property per year. First come, first served. Please note that business properties do not qualify for the Newmarket stormwater rebate.
City of Markham Additional Tree Subsidy
For a limited time, Markham multi-unit and commercial property owners pay only $100 per deciduous tree and $50 for evergreen trees, from a select species list. Limit of five trees per property. First come, first served. Please note that the York Region Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) rebate can also be applied if you are planting to replace a dying or dead ash tree. Limit two EAB rebates per property.
Our program is subsidized by our partners and we are dedicated to growing our urban forest by getting the right trees in optimum planting locations. This means that we have some unique policies you should know about:
Trees and shrubs require space below ground for root development and above ground for crown development. Buildings, decks and paving can interfere with a tree or shrub's ability to absorb nutrients and water. Cramped space, compacted soil, overhead wires and competition with other plants can stress them further and leave them susceptible to pests and disease. We will help you select appropriate species for your property based on the available space, rather than trying to fit in species that do not suit your property conditions.
The planting site you have in mind must meet the following minimum space requirements:
| Site Conditions | Shrubs | SMALL Trees | Med-Large Trees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area of soft surface required | 5' x 5' | 10' x 10' (small trees) | 15' x 15' |
| Distance from fence/property line | 3' | 5' | 5' |
| Distance from hard surfaces (deck/paving) | 3' | 5' | 7' |
| Distance from buildings with foundations | 3' | 10' | 10' |
| Distance from existing trees | 8' | 15' | 20' |
| Distance from stumps or existing ash trees | 8' | 8' | 8' |
| Distance from swales | 5' | 5' | 5' |
| Overhead wires | not an issue | avoid | avoid |
| Raised beds or container planting | not recommended | never | never |
For more information on why these space requirements exist, please click here.
The distances listed above are minimum requirements - more space may be required for larger species.
LEAF frequently works with clients who are required to plant a tree as a condition of a tree removal permit. Bylaws vary by municipality, so be sure to check the requirements in your area before removing any tree, and check with your permit officer to make sure that a tree planted/delivered by LEAF will fulfill the terms of your permit. Be sure to ask about:
Most municipalities require a certain size of young tree (measured by caliper, or diameter of the trunk in millimeters). LEAF’s trees are usually smaller than this requirement. We recommend getting verbal approval from your permit officer for this to ensure a tree planted through LEAF will fulfill your permit requirements.
LEAF plants/delivers during spring from April through June and in fall from September through November. We are unable to provide you with a specific planting/delivery date and depending on the timing of your consultation, we may be sold out of some species for the current planting/delivery season. We recommend contacting us well before your planting deadline. If you are contacting us close to your deadline, you will need to ask your permit officer for an extension to the end of the planting/delivery season following your consultation (for example, if you book a consultation for May, you should request that your deadline be extended to November 30th; if you book a consultation for October, you should request that your deadline be extended to June 30th of the following year).
LEAF will recommend species based on the conditions in your property. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to plant/deliver a specific species prior to your consultation. We suggest asking your permit officer to allow you to plant a large or medium native shade tree rather than require a specific species.
Most permit officers in our service regions are familiar with our program and may be willing to make these accommodations for trees planted/delivered by LEAF.
Please note: Confirmations from permit officers regarding size, deadlines and species requirements (as described above) must be confirmed and your old tree removed BEFORE we can conduct your consultation.
If your property meets our minimum space requirements, you can complete our online application found at the bottom of this page. With the submission of your application, we also require you to send in a few supplementary documents:
1. Property Line Confirmation
LEAF does not plant on public property. Please consult your lot survey to determine where city property and private property meet. A digital copy must be provided to us (via the application, email, post or fax) before we can complete your site consultation.
2. Property Representative Authorization Form
We must receive a letter of permission from the Board of Directors or management/ownership body in order to ensure that all planting has been authorized for your property. This form must be signed and submitted with your application.
3. Care and Maintenance Plan
You must create a care and maintenance plan in order to ensure that any trees and shrubs planted on your property will be properly cared for. We require the name and contact information of the maintenance person or person in charge of care so that we can conduct follow-up evaluations of tree health. Follow-up care, including regular watering and replacement of mulch as it decomposes, is essential to tree survival. Before embarking on your tree-planting project, it is essential that you determine who will take responsibility for caring for your new trees/shrubs.Please consider the time commitments required for care when deciding the number of trees and shrubs that you wish to plant.
Once we receive your application and supporting documents, we will contact you to book your virtual consultation with one of our arborists. The sooner you book the virtual consultation, the sooner we can book your site consultation and the wider the selection of trees and shrubs you will have to choose from (our program operates on a first-come, first-served basis so some species may be limited).
It is essential to ensure your property meets our minimum space requirements for trees (see section above) before booking a virtual or site consultation.
Virtual consultations are carried out year round. You will need to be available for a 20 minute window during working hours on a weekday. Some evening and weekend appointments are also available. All you will need is internet access and a telephone. During your virtual consultation, your arborist will:
Site visits are generally carried out from March to November. You will need to be available for a three-hour window during working hours on a weekday. Some evening and weekend appointments are also available. The contact person, as well as the person(s) with signing authority/decision making power (ie. a board member, tenant, property manager/owner, etc.) and the person(s) responsible for tree care/maintenance should be present for the site consultation. During your site consultation, your arborist will:
LEAF offers a variety of tree species native to southern Ontario. Availability may vary seasonally, so give us a call to learn more! Please note that not all species will be suitable for the sun, soil and space conditions of your property. We'll help you choose species that will do best in your conditions.
Your arborist will take payment in full for your order at the end of your consultation. LEAF accepts payment by cash, cheque, VISA, and Mastercard. If you require an invoice before payment can be made, this will be sent to you following your site consultation. Once the invoice is received, payment must be made in full before we will come out to plant.
The $169.50 ($150+HST) consultation fee you paid at the end of your virtual consultation covers the cost of both your virtual and site consultations. So if for any reason you decide not to purchase a tree at the time of the site consultation, there will be no additional charges. Your site consultation is valid for the current planting season, so if you make the decision to purchase a tree following your site consultation, the $169.50 you have paid will be deducted from the cost of your order, provided no species or location changes have been made.
If you decide to order only shrubs and/or garden kits at the end of your site consultation, the cost of these will be in addition to the $169.50 you've already paid. The cost of the consultations will only be deducted from your total when you order a tree.
We require 2 business days’ notice for site consultation appointment cancellations or a $40 fee will apply.
After species selections are confirmed and payment is made, any changes to your order must be approved by an arborist, and a $15 administrative fee may apply.
If you wish to postpone your paid order to a later planting season, there is a deferral charge of 25% of the cost of the order.
If you wish to cancel a paid order, we keep $169.50 (150 +HST) for the cost of the consultation, as well as 25% of the cost of the remaining order. We will refund the rest using the original payment method
LEAF is required to request locates from utility companies to ensure that we know where buried cables/wires may be in the backyard. On some occasions, the utility companies may send someone out to visit your property to mark underground utilities.
It is the property owner's responsibility to disclose to LEAF any buried lines or utilities that you or previous property owners may have installed. Examples would include backyard lighting, irrigation systems or pool lines.
We ask you to do the following in order to ensure your property is ready for us:
Once you have paid for your order in full, we will plant your trees and shrubs in either our spring or fall planting season. Spring planting begins in April and continues through June. Fall planting begins in September and continues through November. Your planting could take place at any point during these three-month periods.
We will notify you two days prior of your planting date, but unfortunately cannot provide you with a specific time of day. In order to maintain the most efficient planting routes, we are unable to accommodate any scheduling requests. You do not need to be present on the day of planting, as long as we have access to your property. This means that any gates must be left unlocked all day.
We will plant and mulch your trees and shrubs, water them, and leave our care guide in your mailbox. Please be sure to read through and follow the care guide, as you will need to follow the instructions in order for our guarantee to apply. If you do not see the care guide in your mailbox on the day we plant, contact us and we will ensure you receive one.
If we are delivering shrubs that you are planting yourself, they will be left in a secure location, along with some extra mulch. They should be planted as soon as possible. Be sure to water them every day until planted as the pots dry out very quickly!
LEAF is committed to growing our urban forest, and by planting with us you agree to join us in that goal – thank you! We guarantee that, as long as proper care instructions are followed, trees/shrubs will produce leaves by the first July 15th after planting.
Trees/shrubs planted or delivered in spring (between April 1-June 30): If your tree does not produce leaves by July 15th of that same year, you must contact us by that same date in order to be considered for a replacement.
Trees/shrubs planted or delivered in fall (between Sept 1- Nov 30): If your tree does not produce leaves by July 15th of the following year, you must contact us by that same date in order to be considered for a replacement.
Please note: LEAF will not consider replacing plants when concerns are received after this deadline, or when proper care, including twice-weekly watering, has not been provided. Animal damage, weather damage or other damage that occurs to your tree after planting is not covered.
Getting the right tree in the right place is the first important step to success. However, with proper care, provided regularly by diligent property owners, we know that our trees will thrive. You play the most important role in growing our urban forest - ensuring the trees and shrubs you've planted are watered and protected!
For the first two years after planting, you will need to:
1. Water your trees and shrubs twice per week using approximately 6 gallons of water each time. That is the equivalent of using 3 full watering cans twice per week or using a hose with no nozzle on a very slow trickle for approximately 15 minutes twice per week.
2. Replenish the wood chip mulch at the base of your trees and shrubs as it decomposes, being careful to ensure it's in a donut shape and not touching the trunk/stem.
3. Protect your trees and shrubs from lawn mower and weed-whacker damage - this can be fatal.
4. Avoid using chemical fertilizers or pesticides in your yard - these can damage young trees and shrubs.
Refer to the Tree Care section of our site for more details.
The biggest factor in your tree or shrub's growth is the care it receives! Different tree and shrub species grow at different rates, but you can get the best out of any tree or shrub by watering regularly and replenishing mulch as it decomposes. For the first two years after planting, your tree or shrub will likely focus most of its energy below ground establishing a strong root system, so don’t be discouraged if it looks like not much is happening! If you continue to provide regular water and mulch, you’ll be rewarded in time! We're always amazed at how quickly our trees or shrubs grow once they are established.
The right start in life is crucial for your newly planted tree. Leave the hard work to us! Get your LEAF tree on the right track with our maintenance package.
We encourage you to submit your application now so that you are in the queue. But please be aware that it will take us longer than normal to respond, as demand is high at this time.
Make sure you have the following supporting documents* ready to upload with your application:
*Note: Upload one PDF, JPG, or DOC file per item. If you need to merge multiple files into a single PDF, there are numerous online tools for this purpose - eg Smallpdf - that are free and easy to use.
